How To Choose An Ironing Board

If you think that all ironing boards are the same, then you are wrong. Ironing boards come in different sizes, sturdiness and add-ons. Therefore, how to choose an ironing board will depend, among others, the type of clothes that you need to iron and the amount of space that you have at home. Cheaper models will tend to be more wobbly and they may need replacement much sooner than expensive ones that feel more solid and heavy.

Anyway, let’s take a look at some of the features of ironing boards that matter in a buying decision. There are plenty of models out there nowadays and choosing the right one means matching the features with your needs and budget.

Portability

Are you looking for a fixed position ironing board or one that can be moved about? Some people like to instal their ironing board in the laundry room or closet. This normally means having a built-in unit. You can also buy a stow away unit off the shelf and mount it yourself on a wall. This means your ironing board will be permanently affixed but it does look neater with everything being conveniently tucked away when the ironing is done.

Alternatively, you can get an over-the-door ironing board to save space. It is portable since you can move it to different rooms and hang it on different doors around the house. But these are normally small boards that may not be practical for heavy load ironing.

The same goes for tabletop ironing boards. They are easily movable but small in size. The larger ones which are stand alone units are definitely easier to use for ironing. These are the the best ironing boards that you could buy with more choices available. But they are bigger and heavier to move around compared to tabletop types.

Size

Ironing boards come in different sizes to accommodate different types of clothes. If you need to iron a pair of men’s slacks, a longer board might be preferable to a shorter one. So, depending on what you need to iron, the size of the board will be a feature that you should consider before purchase.

For stand alone ironing boards, some units can be as narrow as 13 inches while others can go up to 18 inches. Of course, the wider the board, the more convenient it is to iron larger sized clothes. As for the length, some units have a shorter ironing surface at 48 inches while others can go as long as 54 inches.

Height

Preferably, you should buy an ironing board with adjustable height, especially if you have more than one user at home. Fortunately, most of them would have this feature and they generally range from 28 to 36 inches in adjustable height. The consideration is the range of the height built into the ironing board. Some have a narrower while others a wider range.

Therefore, if you have 2 people doing ironing at home and they are of considerable different height, then it makes sense to buy an ironing board with a greater range of adjustable height. If the adjustment allowed is too narrow, the board might turn out to be a good fit for one but not the other.

Sturdiness

Generally, the sturdiness of an ironing board is correlated to the price. The more expensive it is, the more stable is the structure. It would also tend to be longer lasting. This boils down to the design and the materials used in its construction.

The T-leg structure is a common one but tends to be less stable than its 4-leg counterpart. Most professional ironing boards would have 4 legs for greater stability. The steel used for the whole structure would also be premium-grade for a more solid feel when ironing.

Sturdiness is important because you do have to apply pressure when ironing. For cheap ironing boards, you can probably feel it squeaking and sinking when you are pressing down hard while ironing. If you are using a professional iron that has some weight or a steam station like the Rowenta DG8430, you probably can’t use a cheap ironing board to go with it. If it is too flimsy, it might easily topple over.

Weight

If you are always moving your ironing board around, you might like to get one that is not too heavy to carry. There are lightweight units available but do check out the sturdiness aspect. Some lightweight models have a thin board and legs which are not so stable and do not last.

The no-frills T-leg ironing boards would generally be lightweight but the downside is less stability and sturdiness. It is a compromise that you will have to make if you really need a light ironing board that you can easily carry from one spot to another.

Cover

All the ironing boards will come with padding and cover. But what is provided may not be the best. For instance, the padding or cover could be too thin. Furthermore, some covers can better withstand scorches and reflect heat.

The good thing is you can upgrade the padding and cover easily since many are sold separately. But then again, this will cost you additional money to make your ironing surface thicker, longer lasting and look cleaner.

Add-Ons

Adds-ons include sleeve board, iron rest and clothes rack. These are a matter of personal preference. They are not necessary but it is good it they are included. Of course, they will add to the price but some people do prefer to have them as a matter of convenience.

Special Features

Some ironing boards have specific features that target a particular need of users. For instance, the Parker Extra Wide Ironing Pro Board has a retractable shoulder wing to make it easier to iron the shoulder area of shirts. Then, we have the Flippr Ironing Board which allows for a 360-degree rotation to iron both sides of a shirt without needing to adjust it. If you are willing to spend, there are also ironing boards like the Reliable the Board 500VB that can remove steam from fabric to give a crisp finish.

Not everyone will need a high end unit. How to choose an ironing really depends on your budget and what are your expectations after determining the features that you need.